Ever greener wine, 19% vineyards cultivated with the organic method

Organic is also advancing in the wine sector: in Italy, in 2020, 4 out of 100 bottles of wine are organic, but the phenomenon is growing rapidly all over the world both in terms of extension of the vineyard areas and of interest to the consumer, more and more attentive to the impact of food production on the environment. To photograph trends and structural dimensions of the sector, with particular reference to the Italian context, is the report "The organic wine chain", the latest issue of a thematic series dedicated to the world of bio promoted by the Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policies and produced by Ismea in collaboration with CIHEAM-Bari, as part of the activities of the National Information System on Organic Agriculture (SINAB).

"This thematic notebook represents an important source of information for the players in the organic wine chain. - underlined Francesco Battistoni, Undersecretary for Agriculture - Italian organic is a product of great quality, it is no coincidence that we are the first European exporters and second to We have the highest number of organic operators in the old continent and a constantly expanding market. Our supply chain model is a virtuous example, but we are aware that we still have a large margin for growth. For a farmer, devote himself to organic farming it certainly represents a challenge, but at the same time also a precious opportunity to do business while respecting the canons of economic, environmental and social sustainability ".

Worldwide, of the 7 million hectares of total viticultural surface surveyed, a share equal to 6.7% is cultivated according to the production methods of organic agriculture, for a total extension close to 500 thousand hectares, more than double the 10 years ago. In Italy, in 2019 there are 107,143 hectares of organic vineyards (+ 109% in the decade), with an incidence on the total vineyard area of ​​our country of almost 19%, the highest in Europe and in the world. 

More in detail at a regional level and from a dynamic perspective, a green run-up by the Center-North to recover the gap in areas with the South in the last decade clearly emerges. A growth path that has led to a greater balance in the distribution of vineyards between the North (22.8%), the Center (22.5%), the South (25.5%) and the Islands (29.2%). Also in our country there are over 18,000 organic winegrowers to which all the other players in the supply chain are added, for a total of operators in the organic wine sector close to 25,000 units. On the consumption front, it is above all abroad that organic wine enjoys the greatest appreciation, with Germany and France leading the consuming countries, while Italy holds an important role in the sector's exports.This work has the merit of delivering the picture of the organic wine sector both worldwide and nationally and gives us a photograph of a country, ours, once again competitive and on the podium for organic viticulture, both for cultivated areas and for the role it plays in the sector's exports. - concluded Maria Chiara Zaganelli, General Manager of Ismea - The analysis of the main economic indicators brings out the liveliness of the sector and its potential in contributing to the acceleration of the ecological transition process of our agri-food system ".once again competitive and on the podium for organic viticulture, both for cultivated areas and for the role it plays in the sector's exports. - concluded Maria Chiara Zaganelli, General Manager of Ismea - The analysis of the main economic indicators brings out the liveliness of the sector and its potential in contributing to the acceleration of the ecological transition process of our agri-food system ".once again competitive and on the podium for organic viticulture, both for cultivated areas and for the role it plays in the sector's exports. - concluded Maria Chiara Zaganelli, General Manager of Ismea - The analysis of the main economic indicators brings out the liveliness of the sector and its potential in contributing to the acceleration of the ecological transition process of our agri-food system ".acceleration of the ecological transition process of our agri-food system ".acceleration of the ecological transition process of our agri-food system ".